How to Bridge the Gap Between Military Service and Civilian Employment with Fred Drummond

In this episode, Sam Whitehurst, your host, continues with a series of podcasts focused on programs that assist military members to gain, not only a job, but a career that provides them wages or salaries that allow them to support their families, careers that can provide affordable health care options, and have benefit packages that allow veterans to plan forward and invest into their future.

Today’s episode is not only going to be focused on service members transitioning but also on those employers who want to connect with and hire veterans, those who want to create a “pipeline” of veteran talent into their company.

Military members offer leadership, a strong work ethic, experience and knowledge about working as a member of a team, and the ability to adapt to new and changing environments, but how can those skills be taken from military service to combine them with the civilian workforce experience and training?

Sam welcomes Mr. Fred Drummond to today’s episode; he is the Deputy Assistant Secretary Of Defense for Force Education and Training at The Department of Defense SkillBridge which partners with private industries to help veterans find jobs, but also for companies to find the workforce that they need for their industries. Listen to this episode to find all the information every service member who is thinking about transitioning needs to have.

Key Takeaways:

[3:17] Sam introduces Mr. Fred Drummond in his role at the DoD.

[3:48] Mr. Drummond shares his own military experience as a veteran and his own transition that led him to his current position in the DoD.

[7:30] Mr. Drummond talks about SkillBridge and how it supports transitioning service members to connect with employers.

[11:32] Mr. Drummond shares about SkillBridge’s partnerships and how this benefits veterans transitioning into the civilian workforce.

[17:09] SkillBridge offers flexibility for service members to participate in programs that are not necessarily located in their region.

[17:59] SkillBridge encourages off-base training.

[20:54] Mr. Drummond talks about the possibility of extending the SkillBridge program to other federal departments.

[23:07] SkillBridge also supports veterans’ spouses by providing training and assisting them in finding jobs.

[27:21] Mr. Drummond shares the first steps to follow for companies who want to create a “pipeline” of veteran talent.

[29:34] SkillBridge offers 450 to 500 programs.

[31:30] Mr. Drummond explains other programs SkillBridge provides to military service members and their families.

[34:05] SkillBridge is the most cost-effective program.

[39:35] Mr. Drummond gives his recommendation for a smoother transition into the civilian workforce.

Mentioned in this episode:

Dixon Center: Reaching America

At Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services, we believe our veterans and military families can succeed where they live.

Dixon Center is named after Staff Sergeant Donnie Dixon, who was killed in action on September 29, 2007, in Iraq. Staff Sergeant Dixon was a father, husband, and Soldier who always placed the mission first and the safety of his fellow Soldiers above his own. Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services stands as a testament to his example and leadership.

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